Grant: Catalyst Grant: Moving Upstream - Structural Determinants of Health-POR Approach

Across Canada, access to virtual and online health services such as telephone and video calls, emails, text messaging, and other types of health services that are accessed on the phone or over the internet has increased in recent years. Virtual care has also increased access to abortion services (medical procedures that end a pregnancy). For example, people can access prescriptions for medication abortions and can receive counseling, and post-abortion care virtually. Even though virtual care is convenient, there are concerns that it could create, perpetuate, and exacerbate barriers in accessing abortion services for trauma survivors who may not have access to virtual technologies or the expertise to use such virtual services. In this project, we aim to work with abortion seekers who have experienced trauma, clinicians, health professional associations, and abortion advocacy organizations to determine how the move towards virtual care creates or increases barriers to abortion services for trauma survivors. This study is expected to generate awareness of the impact of virtual care on access to abortion for trauma survivors who find in-person visits difficult, overwhelming, or re-traumatizing. The findings will guide abortion advisory groups on best practices for how virtual care can support the most vulnerable people who seek abortion services.